Orthopedic sling



United States Patent ORTHOPEDIC SLING Newton J. Hall, Arcadia, Calif.

Application April 19, 1957, Serial No. 653,810

Claims. (Cl. 128--75) This invention relates to orthopedic devices and more particularly to a halter-like sling designed for application to the head for treatment of conditions affecting the neck and the vertebrae structure.

Certain ailments and particularly those associated with the head and neck are beneficially treated by the application of traction forces while holding the head firmly in a desired position. For certain of these conditions, use has been made of a halter sling having a loop passing beneath the chin and another beneath the base of the head opposite the chin. Although some of these slings have served a useful purpose for ailments of one type or when applied to a particular patient, they have been lacking in versatility and, in some instances, have been quite unsatisfactory in the treatment of other patients. More specifically, they have been lacking in adequate provision for adjustment to accommodate different patients as well as lacking in effective means for distributing the traction forces as desired between the front and rear portion of the patients head, a capability found most essential to the proper treatment of certain conditions.

Accordingly, it is a primary object ofthis invention to provide an improved orthopedic head sling embodying features useful in the treatment of certan conditions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a head sling featuring a pair of loops which are adjustable laterally toward and away from one another together with means for applying traction selectively to the loop junctions in a manner to vary distribution of traction force between the loops selectively as desired.

Another object is the provision of a head sling having a pair of loops coupled together at their ends and provided with a plurality of connecting points distributed crosswise of the loop ends to different pairs of which a traction applying device may be selectively attached.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a bodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of the invention applied to a patient;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sling illustrating details of its construction;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are elevational views in transverse section showing in an exaggerated manner how the connection of the traction device to the sling affects the distribution of the traction forces to the patient.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown an orthopedic head sling designated generally properly applied to the head of a patient and placed under tension by a traction device designated generally 11, and shown supported by way of example from the top edge of a door 12. Sling 10 comprises a front loop 13 and a generally similar rear loop 14 of approximately the same length, the two loops preferably having a nap or soft interior facing and being firmly secured together in overlapping preferred emrelation by stitching, rivets or the like 15. Provision for connecting the traction device 11 selectively to different portions of the joined loop ends may comprise a pair of metal plates 16 each having three or more openings such as openings 17, 18 and 19.

A suitable traction device 11 selectively connectible to a particular pair of openings in connector plates 16 is shown in Figure l as comprising a mounting bracket 22 formed from sheet metal and having a U-shaped hook 23'at one end shaped to fit over any convenient firm support such as that provided by the top edge of room door 12. Its outturned opposite end 24 is provided with an opening seating the downturned end 25 of a V-shaped bracket 26 of. stiff wire. The upper end of bracket leg 27 has a hooked end 28 engageable beneath a strip 29 struck outwardly from the body portion of mounting bracket 22 and cooperates with end 25 in holding brackets 22 and 26 demountably assembled.

Leg 30 of bracket 26 supports a pair of spaced pulleys 31, 32 through which is threaded a traction cable 33. One end of cable 33 is attached to the center portion of a stiff wire bail 34 having upturned hooks 35,35 at its opposite ends insertable into any aligned pair of the adjustment openings 17, 18 and 19 of the head sling end plates 16, 16, and preferably with a slight friction fit or the like suitable to safeguard these parts against acci-' from the foregoing description of its construction. The

first step is to assemble traction device 11 by inserting end 25 in the opening in tab 24 of bracket 22 after which legs 27 and 30 are pressed toward one another until end 28 can be inserted behind outstruck strip 27. The hooked end 23 of the bracket assembly is then engaged over the edge of a rigid support at an appropriate height above the patients head.

The next step is to fit the sling to the patients head by unfastening the side straps 20 from buckles 21 so that loop 13 can be placed beneath the chin and loop 14 beneath the base of the head in the manner illustrated.

.Straps 20 are then inserted in buckles 21 and adjusted to hold the traction loops against spreading and embracing the head snugly and comfortably. If it is desired to apply traction to the head with a uniform distribution of force between loops 13 and 14, hooked ends 35 of bail 34are engaged in central openings 18, 18 of connector plates 16 as is illustrated in Figure 1. Weights of a desired value, such as five to eight pounds, are then placed in bag 40 thereby applying a tractive force of this value through cable 33 and bail 34 to the sling loops.

In certain treatments the physician may wish to apply a greater portion of the tractive force to the rear of the head and a lesser portion to the chin area. In these circumstances, the sling is adjusted as shown in Figure 4, the only change from the described normal adjustment being the transfer of bail hooks 35 to openings 19, 19 in connector plates 16. The tractive force is then effective to transmit a major portion of the weight in bag 40 to the inner edge of rear loop 14 and a minor portion to the inner edge of front loop 13 for reasons made clear by Figure 4. Accordingly the described adjustment tends to tilt the head forwardly which tendency the patient will automatically resist unless instructed otherwise by the physician. In consequence a maximum portion of the tractive effort is seen to be applied to the rear of the head and a lesser amount to the chin area.

In other situations the physician will wish to apply a greater portion of the tractive effort to the chin area, this being easily and quickly accomplished by inserting the hooked ends of bail 34 in opening 17, 17 of the connector plates in the manner illustrated in Figure 5, the resulting action being the reverse of that described above in connection with Figure 4. It will be understood that in all three adjustments of the sling the natural tendency of the patient is to hold the head erect and this tendency enables the patient to obtain maximum elfectiveness of the described adjustable feature of the sling support. It will be appreciated that a greater range of adjustment can be obtained by increasing the size of connector plate 16 for the purpose of including a greater number of openings for bail 34 or for the purpose of providing greater lateral spacing between these openings and thereby a greater disparity in the portions of the tractive force distributed to the sling loops. However, the principle of operation will difier in nowise from that described above.

While the particular orthopedic head sling herein shown in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A head sling for. use in placing the head and neck in traction comprising, a pair of soft pliant loops of similar lengths extending in side-by-side relation and having their adjacent ends secured together, and means for attaching a traction applying cable adjustably to different points transversely of the joined ends of said loops whereby the tractive effort transmitted by said cable can be distributed equally between said loops or differentially as desired.

2. A head sling for use in placing the head and neck in traction comprising a traction bracket formed adapted '4' to clip over the upper transverse edge of a room door, pulley means attached to said bracket, a cable passing through said pulley means having a weight secured to one end thereof, a bail-like member attached to the other end of said cable, a head sling including a pair of loops joined at their adjacent ends and adapted to cradle the head therein with one loop embracing the rear base portion of the head and the other embracing the chin, and means for connecting said cable bail selectively to different transverse areas of the joined ends of said loops.

3. A head sling as defined in claim 2 including adjustable length straps interconnecting said loops in areas opposite the sides of the patients head and effective to hold said loops against spreading apart beyond a desired limit.

4. A head sling useful in applying traction to the head and neck comprising a pair of loops of wide, strong material having susbtantially the same length and firmly joined together in overlapping relation at their ends, means at said ends providing a plurality of convenient points of attachment for a traction device, said points including one positioned to divide a traction force equally between said loops and others positioned to divide the traction unequally between said loops whereby the traction may be distributed to the head and neck as desired depending on the point of application of the tractive force to the joined ends of said loops.

5. A head sling as defined in claim 4 wherein the adjacent ends of said loops are secured to connector plates having a plurality of openings therethrough for seating selectively the ends of a cable device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

